Travel Talk

Cape Town – The Mother City

Listed as one of the top destinations to visit in 2014, Cape Town, also known as Mother City, is a fascinating city. This South African city is the most visited in the country, which has to do with i’t beautiful mountains, the sea, climate and the great food and culture.

With some of the best sightseeing and activities, Cape Town attracts tourists of all ages with various interests. To begin going around the city, you will quickly realize that Table Mountain and it’s national park should be first to see on your list. The flat topped mountain is said to be one of the most striking landscapes in the world with many hiking trails. You can also choose to take the famous cable car ride for stunning panoramic views once at the top.

For more hiking, visit the nearby Lion’s Head which, where the climb is less strenuous than Table Mountain. This area offers captivating panoramic views of the city and Table Bay on one side, and the Atlantic shoreline on the other. The hike is very pleasant on a full moon night or in the dawn light, resulting in a rewarding views. Here you can also para-glide off Lion’s Head.

Next go to the Victoria & Alfred waterfront. Named after Queen Victoria and her son, this busy area offers great shopping and entertainment for visitors as well as locals themselves. Here you will also find various coffee shops, markets, restaurants, an aquarium and great views of the harbour . Check out the Cape Town Diamond Museum here as well or take a sunset boat cruises to appreciate the harbor more.

From here depart for Robben Island. The island is famously known for Nelson Mandela spending 18 years in prison here. It’s advised that you reserve/purchase your tickets for this well in advance. You can tour the island to learn about the history or see the african penguins. Once off the island, to have a chance to swim with penguins, visit the exciting Boulders Beach. This beach is comprised of white sand and massive granite boulders making it a beautiful scenic location.

If you’re looking for more outdoor activity and adventure, visit Cape Point. As part of the Table Mountain National Park, this area is located at the south-western tip of the continent. It is made up of kilometers of pristine and quiet beaches with amazing scenery and some great restaurants and shops. This nature reserve allows you to get up close to zebras, bucks, baboons and hike through the beautiful natural fynbos. Ride the Flying Dutchman Funicular train to see the old lighthouse and enjoy the panoramic views from the top.

To do something more extreme, you can go shark diving in Gansbaai. This location is known as “white shark capital of the world”, where you can do a cage dive with your scuba gear. If that’s too much and you’re in need of a more relaxing option, visit the one or few of the popular vineyards. Some of these have been in existence for a 350 years in stunning mountain ranges and valleys. Constantia Valley is one the nice ones to visit, where you can relax and sip on wine in the vine-covered hills. Another pleasurable option is to picnic at an outdoor concert in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. At the foot of Table Mountain, these gardens feature more than 7,000 plant species, most of which are rare.

There is an abundance of options of sights to see and activities to do in this destination. This metropolitan city, which is full of contrasts, is surely to capture your heart no matter what parts you visit.